1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a shell-and-tube heat exchanger type reactor having the interior of the shell thereof partitioned into a plurality of chambers, and to a method for the production of (meth)acrylic acid by the use of the reactor. More particularly, it relates to a shell-and-tube heat exchanger type reactor adapted to repress migration of a heat medium (heat transfer medium) between adjacent chambers partitioned with a shield, and to a method for the production of (meth)acrylic acid by the use of the reactor.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a method for producing acrylic acid by the reaction of catalytic gas phase oxidation of propylene entails generation of a large amount of heat. For the purpose of controlling the reaction temperature within a fixed range or preventing the occurrence of hot spots (local spots of abnormally high temperature in the catalyst layer) within a reaction zone, a method for quickly absorbing or circulating such heat, for example, has been proposed.
JP-A-54-21966 discloses a shell-and-tube heat exchanger type reactor which is partitioned into two or more chambers by the use of shields and adapted to control the temperature of a heat medium by the use of a heat medium circulating system provided in each of the chambers. This reactor, though partitioned with the shields into vertically separate chambers, enables the heat media placed respectively in the vertically separate chambers to migrate into the adjacent chambers through the shield. Thus, it is not intended to shield the separate chambers substantially completely. Further, it is mentioned that when the reaction tubes and the shields happen to be fixed in close approximation, any temperature difference between the regions A and B or frequent use of the reactor for heating and cooling will bring disadvantages such as inducing the reaction tubes and the shields to develop thermal strain and suffering them to come into mutual contact and wear away.
JP-B-07-73674 discloses improvements in and concerning a vessel which is furnished with a partition plate to produce a plurality of chambers operating at different degrees of temperature, wherein the reaction of a high temperature and the quenching for rapidly cooling the product are respectively performed in the chambers.